I am a Jason Statham impersonator after spending Twenty Seven years working as a financial advisor – fans of the actor stop me on the street
Jason Stanly, a 52-year-old former financial advisor from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has gained fame as a Jason Statham impersonator. After spending 27 years working in the financial industry, Jason decided to pursue his passion for acting and embarked on a career portraying the popular action star. His striking resemblance to Jason Statham has earned him nearly one million followers on TikTok, where he goes by the username @the_statham_guy.
Jason revealed that one of the most enjoyable aspects of his job is providing Statham fans with “the next best thing.” On a daily basis, he is often approached by people on the street who either comment on his resemblance to Statham or playfully inquire if he is the actor’s long-lost brother. Jason’s uncanny likeness to the action star is heightened when he darkens his beard stubble, wears hazel-colored contact lenses, or sports sunglasses, which invariably turns heads and attracts photo requests. He happily obliges, ensuring that fans walk away with a cool photo and a smile. Jason even encourages those who ask for a photo to send it to the biggest Statham fan they know, to see how long they can fool them or make them jealous.
Before entering the film industry, Jason worked as an insurance broker and financial advisor for 27 years. Fortunately, his hometown was a hub for film productions, which made it relatively easy for him to get involved. He connected with local casting companies and started working as a background extra in early 2011. Through this experience, he gained valuable insight into the film business and forged lasting friendships with fellow industry professionals.
However, Jason admitted that whenever he stepped onto a film set, he was often mistaken for Jason Statham’s stand-in by other actors and production crews. He recalled an incident on the set of “The Philly Kid,” a film directed by Jason Connery, Sean Connery’s son, shot in his hometown. When Jason approached Jason Connery to shake his hand, the director looked at him, then down at the call sheet, and finally shook his hand with a big smile, indicating that he had been convincingly fooled.
Jason attributed his mother as the first person to notice his resemblance to Jason Statham. While watching “The Transporter” on DVD at her house, she immediately made the connection. It wasn’t until years later that Jason decided to heed his mother’s observation and embrace his resemblance to the actor.
When Jason initially entered the film industry, he didn’t necessarily want to rely on a celebrity’s coattails and aimed to showcase his own range and skills as a versatile actor. However, he couldn’t resist the enjoyable opportunities that presented themselves. He expressed gratitude for the incredible doors that opened for him across various entertainment platforms and unabashedly embraced these opportunities. Jason finds validation for his impersonation skills when well-known actors he meets enjoy seeing a Southern boy from the US effortlessly switch into a gravelly Cockney accent with attitude.
No job is too big or small for Jason as an impersonator. He has appeared in films as Statham’s character, including a Hunger Games spoof called “The Starving Games.” However, he has also received some peculiar requests, such as being hired as the best man at a wedding. Through a service called GigSalad, a couple enlisted Jason and his Sylvester Stallone impersonator friend to play integral roles in their wedding and reception. Jason considered this experience to be the strangest job he has undertaken thus far but described it as a lot of fun and certainly a unique request.
Although Jason has yet to meet the real Jason Statham, he eagerly looks forward to crossing paths with him in the future, combining their uncanny resemblance and shared passion for the entertainment industry.